This invention relates generally to slide fasteners, and more specifically to stringer tapes made of a fabric, especially of a woven fabric. The invention is even more specifically directed to means for preventing the unraveling of the fabric tapes at their severed ends.
In the art of slide fastener manufacture, it is customary to first produce continuous lengths of stringer tapes, which are formed in a suitable manner into a continuous length of coupled stringers or the so-called fastener chain, and then to sever the fastener chain into individual fastener lengths. During the subsequent handling or use of the manufactured slide fasteners, therefore, the fabric tapes may suffer gradual unraveling at their severed ends.
In order to prevent this, it has heretofore been practiced to cover the entire severed end portions of the fabric tapes with films or to coat the same with a suitable resin solution. These prior art methods unduly stiffen the severed end portions of the fabric tapes. When the slide fastener having such stringer tapes is attached to underwear, for example, the stiff end portions of the tapes can give the wearer not only an unpleasant sensation but, at times, an acute pain.